


Emergency Meeting

by rosegardeninwinter



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Innuendo, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:21:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21813607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosegardeninwinter/pseuds/rosegardeninwinter
Summary: "Message sent to group chat [The “All I Want For Christmas Is For Katniss and Peeta to Get Together” Committee] from Finnick Odair (December 14, 9:03pm)Calling all committee members!!! Emergency meeting!!!"Katniss and Peeta have Christmas plans . . . and their friends have plans about those plans. Modern AU: Christmas hijinks, a pinch of fluff, general awkwardness, and lots of love.For this great prompt: Secret Santa. Secret Crush. You can make it a little awkward or funny, maybe throw in some fluff. All I must have is a kiss at the end and a HEA in the horizon.You have creative control of the rest!
Relationships: Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark
Comments: 22
Kudos: 120
Collections: The Hunger Games 2019 Season of Hope Holiday Gift Exchange





	Emergency Meeting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Alliswell](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alliswell/gifts).



**Message sent to group chat [The “All I Want For Christmas Is For Katniss and Peeta to Get Together” Committee] from Finnick Odair (December 14, 9:03pm)**

[id. a selfie of Finnick in front of an impressively colorful Christmas tree, face pulled into a comical expression of panic; picture is marked up with a bright red caption] 

_Calling all committee members!!! Emergency meeting!!!_

[id. another selfie of Finnick in front of the impressively colorful Christmas tree, this time with motion blur sending streaks of light across the image; picture is marked up with brighter red caption] 

_WHAT PART OF EMERGENCY DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND???_ (sent at 9:16) 

[id. Kermit flailing gif] (sent at 9:21) 

_Delly: The part where we’re all wondering why there’s a need for a committee meeting?_ (sent at 9:23) 

_Delly: Unless . . ._

_Delly: Oh my god they didn’t break up did they?_

_Delly: Oh my god_

_Delly: Finnick?_

_Delly: FINNICK_

_Delly: Finnick I stg_

_Prim: they didn’t._

_Prim: observe._

[id. a surreptitious photo of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, cozily ensconced on a couch, video game controllers in hand] [the image is accompanied by an eye roll emoji] 

_Johanna: wtf guys im trying to work out here and my headphones are just ping! ping! ping!_

_Finnick: EMERGENCY MEETING_

_Johanna: no shit_

[id. Madge Hawthorne in a velvet top, glaring playfully across a dinner setting at a nice restaurant] 

_Gale: interrupting date night for this - it’d better be good_

[id. photo of Finnick standing on the living room couch with his arms in the air, one hand holding his phone aloft] 

_Annie: there are no words_

_Finnick: okay okay here’s the deal_

_Finnick: for this year’s Christmas brunch_

_Finnick: Secret Santa Scandal: Part 2_

[id. Madge Hawthorne glaring less playfully across a bowl of pasta] 

_Gale: seriously?_

[id. selfie of Johanna, on a treadmill in her local gym, flipping the bird] 

_Finnick: no no no stay with me here_

_Finnick: allow me to jog your collective memory on the success of the last Secret Santa Scandal_

[video: Christmas morning at the Odair residence, two years ago. The camera pans around a decoration bedecked living room. Perched on the back of the couch in a horrendously ugly sweater that he somehow manages to make look good, is Finnick. Johanna is wrestling her feet into the tartan slippers she was just gifted. Annie, who gifted them, is sprawled on her stomach on the rug. Madge and Delly share the puffy armchair. Peeta sits in front of the tree. Prim, with a whipped cream topped mug brought to her lips, waves to the camera from a bean bag as Katniss takes her present from the pile on the coffee table. The lens zooms in on her face. 

“What you got there, Catnip?” Gale’s voice inquires from behind frame. 

“A knife!” is the instinctual response from Prim and Finnick. 

The camera makes a series of quick, tennis match whips from Katniss, carefully unwrapping the metallic gold paper, to Peeta, watching her with an expression of trepidation. 

“Okay, but what is it actually?” asks Madge excitedly. 

“Let her open it,” Finnick admonishes. 

Katniss notices none of this as she delicately slips the gift from its wrappings with a soft gasp. A teardrop pearl pendant hangs from a long chain. 

“Oh my god,” she whispers, glancing around the room with bright, glassy eyes. “This is — this is way too nice, whoever’s this is. Wow. Um. Thank you.” 

Peeta’s expression has gone from trepidation to adoration, smiling at his best friend’s reaction. 

Katniss clips the chain behind her neck, and the pendant comes to rest snugly on her collarbone. “Prim, is this you?” she accuses her sister affectionately. “It has to be you, right? 

Prim shakes her head, biting her lip. “Nope. Not from me.”

“I think there’s a card,” Johanna pipes up and Peeta frowns. 

“Oh yeah, there’s a card!” Delly chirps. 

“I thought we weren’t gonna reveal until everyone had their gift,” Katniss says.

“Nah, go ahead and read it,” Annie encourages. 

Peeta has started to look panicked. Over Katniss’s shoulder, he furiously mouths around the circle of friends. “Card? What card? I didn’t get her a card!” 

But Katniss has already found the piece of paper and unfurled it. Her eyes widen as she reads it and Peeta goes red as a candy cane. The room is breathless, but for the distant sound of Christmas radio in the kitchen. 

“I’m gonna guess you didn’t know about this,” Katniss says at last, turning the piece of paper over to Peeta. It’s a printed out text conversation between Peeta and Prim. One long text bubble is circled in a glitter pen. 

Peeta shakes his head. “I’m gonna kill you guys. This isn’t funny.” 

A tense silence falls. Gale swallows hard behind the camera. He seems to have forgotten he’s still recording because the shot dips slightly out of focus. 

“But is it true?” Katniss’s voice is a murmur. 

“Huh?”

“Is it true? What — what you’re saying here. That um — you’re in love with me? Is that true?” 

“I mean — I mean, yeah,” Peeta says, running his hand through his hair. “Yes. It’s true.” 

“Oh.” Katniss’s fingers toy with her pendant. Her lips quirk. “For how long?”

“God … years, Katniss.” 

“Years,” she repeats. Her smile is growing. “No wonder they took matters into their own hands.” 

“No wonder,” he echoes on an exhale. “Still gonna kill them, though.” 

“I’ll help,” Katniss agrees. 

And then the camera work becomes a completely incomprehensible blur as Katniss throws her arms around Peeta’s neck and kisses him so joyfully they fall back into the presents under the tree, making ornaments wobble precariously and causing a cheer to erupt from the room at large as the video abruptly ends.] 

_Gale: if by success you mean that we majorly overstepped our bounds and jeopardized our friendship with both of them for a solid minute there then yeah — a resounding success_

_Annie: you’re really fun, Gale_

_Finnick: BUT IT WORKED!_

_Finnick: did it not?_

_Finnick: and anyway this is beside the point_

_Finnick: the point is_

_Finnick: a certain friend of ours has come to us in his time of need_

_Finnick: needing a “clever, low key, and nostalgic” way_

_Finnick: wait for it_

_Finnick: to propose to his girlfriend_

_Delly: OMG OMG OMG_

_Johanna: wait are you serious???_

_Finnick: dead serious_

_Madge: when did he tell you?_

_Annie: he called like an hour ago_

_Gale: for real? okay that’s awesome_

_Delly:_ [id.“oh my God it’s happening!” gif] 

_Finnick: RIGHT? okay, so, Secret Santa Scandal Part 2 is a go? with Peeta’s blessing?_

_Annie: obviously_

_Madge: it’s a go from me_

_Delly: seconded!_

_Johanna: hell yes_

_Gale: I’m in_

_Finnick: Prim?_

_Prim: okay so_

_Prim: you’re not going to believe this_

_Prim: but it gets better_

_Prim: because Peeta’s not the only one who’s decided it’s time to propose_

_Delly: omg_

_Finnick: all of my training . . . has prepared me for this moment . . ._

_Prim: yup_

_Prim: Katniss has too_

**Message sent to [My Love] (December 25, 11:36pm)**

_Peeta: did Finnick send you the video?_

_Katniss: I am lying in bed right next to you why are you texting me?_

_Peeta: and yet you have responded_

_Katniss: I see what you’ve done_

_Peeta: it’s Christmas entrapment_

_Peeta: also my mouth is too tired_

_Katniss: ;)_

_Peeta: FROM TALKING_

_Katniss: ;) ;)_

_Peeta: I hate you_

_Katniss: ;) ;) ;)_

_Katniss: and yet you’re gonna marry me_

_Peeta: I see what you’ve done_

_Katniss: it’s lifelong entrapment_

_Peeta: I’ll take it_

_Peeta: okay but did he send you the video?_

_Katniss: yup_

_Katniss: I was so convinced they were playing it straight this year_

_Katniss: “of course we’ll help you propose, Katniss” “no pranks this time, Katniss”_

_Peeta: in their defense, it wasn’t exactly a prank - we did sort of set them up with the perfect opportunity_

_Katniss: true_

_Peeta: okay so can I see the video now?_

_Katniss: roll over here I’m stuck in this position_

_Katniss: PEETA DO NOT_

_Katniss: I hate you_

_Katniss: get off my back_

_Peeta: can’t_

_Peeta: I’m stuck in this position_

_Katniss: ;)_

_Peeta: how old are you?_

_Katniss: okay fine here_

[video: Prim’s face, up close, setting the camera on the mantle, disguised among greenery and tinsel, to record. She steps back, putting a finger to her lips and giggling, then turns to join the group of friends, gathering with their plates of cinnamon rolls and mugs of cider. 

Fast forward through thirty minutes worth of gift opening. Annie’s once tidy living room turns into a mess of wrapping and tissue paper and ribbons and empty plates and cups but no one is complaining, least of all Annie herself, who by the time all but the last two gifts are exchanged is happily decked out in a pair of pink cat earmuffs. 

She gets to her feet, announcing she’s going to put some hot water on for tea and pointedly requesting her husband accompany her. 

“Absolutely,” Finnick says, hopping over the couch to follow her into the kitchen. 

“Well, I guess this is as good a time as any for a bathroom break,” Johanna yawns, getting up too. 

“Not a bad idea,” Katniss says casually, but Madge jumps in. 

“Can I cut in line? I’m kind of desperate,” she says. “Annie! Is the upstairs bathroom okay to use?” 

“Sure thing!” Annie calls from the kitchen and Madge scampers away. 

“Dells, help me with all the plates and cups?” Gale inquires. “Don’t want Finnick and Annie to have to clean everything up.”

“I’ll help too,” Peeta says. “We should get the paper and stuff.” 

“No, no,” Prim interjects, right on cue. “You stay. I’ll get a trash bag.” 

It’s like one of those sped up nature documentaries of plants growing. In an orchestrated flurry, the living room is left vacant except for the couple sitting on the ratty love seat. 

“Why are we friends with any of them?” Katniss jokes. 

“No idea.” 

“This is — uh — this is actually kind of great though,” she says. 

“Oh?” 

“Yeah, um. I know this is breaking the rules, but — ” She fishes in the pocket of her dad’s old jacket, the one that she’s worn ever since she was eleven, and produces a box wrapped in tacky orange paper. “Guess who pulled your name from the hat?”

“How fortuitous, my love,” Peeta says with a smirk. “As it so happens — ” He leans forward to where the final unopened present sits, a green satin sachet. 

“Fortuitous my ass,” Katniss quips. “You couldn’t have more obviously been rummaging around for my name if you tried.”

“Maybe so,” he says, waving the sachet in front of her nose, “but only because I know what you like.”

She snatches it out of the air like a cat and holds it to her heart. “Thank you,” she says, genuine, and he steals a peck at her cheek. “But you have to open mine first,” she adds as she tosses the box into his lap. 

“Nope,” he says, tickling her foot. She squeaks and tucks it safely under her body. “You have to open mine first.”

“I asked first.”

“I’m a gentleman.”

“Debatable.”

“Rude.” 

“Alright, fine. At the same time, then.”

“Alright.”

“No cheating.”

“When have I ever?” 

“Together?”

“Together.” 

“Three.”

“Two.”

“One.” 

Katniss plucks the stays of the sachet. Peeta tears the paper from the box and clicks the lid open. His breath visibly hitches. Katniss claps a hand to her mouth. This is clearly the last thing either of them expected. 

Peeta is the first to speak, gently lifting the ring from its cushion. “Katniss … ” he breathes. “Is this … ? This is your father’s wedding ring … ”

“I know.”

“I — I … this makes mine seem a little … ”

“Perfect,” Katniss cuts him off, cradling the diamond band, eyes full of its reflected sparkle. “It’s perfect.”

They turn to each other, confused, delighted, staring open-mouthed for a heartbeat. 

“I guess … ” Katniss whispers. “I guess we should take this as a ‘yes?’” 

“I guess so.” 

The next thirty or so seconds are a tangle of fingers in hair and tearful laughter exchanged between increasingly fervent kisses. When they finally break apart, Katniss scoops up her father’s ring. 

“May I?”

“Always.” 

She slips the simple circle onto his ring finger, then offers her own for him to do the same, with a kiss against her knuckles. It’s a lovely, blissful hush of a moment, washed in winter light, that’s only broken by Katniss throwing her head back and yelling at the top of her lungs: “YOU ARE ALL THE WORST!” 

“BUT DID HE SAY YES?” comes Prim’s ecstatic reply from down the hall. “AND DID YOU?”

“UGH!” Katniss shouts as Peeta wraps her in a placating bear hug, arms and legs around her torso, nuzzling her hair. “… but yes!”] 

**Message sent to group chat [The “All I Want For Christmas Is For Katniss and Peeta to Get Together” Committee] from Finnick Odair (sent December 26, 8:00am]**

[id. screenshot of Katniss’s Instagram: a black and white photo of Katniss and Peeta, both showing their rings to the screen, Katniss covering her face with her free hand, Peeta’s lips pressed to her temple; no caption, just a Christmas tree emoji] 

_Finnick: another Christmas, another success_

_Annie: no one is awake_

_Finnick: you are_

_Annie: only because you’re texting away next to me_

_Finnick: just imagine the fun we’re going to have when Katniss gets pregnant one of these days_

_Annie: oh yeah_

_Annie: that reminds me_

_Annie: I had one more present for you_

_Delly: omg_


End file.
